The Steel Guitar Forum

I will be playing steel guitar at the music festival this year at silver dollar city in Branson. we will play this Thursday through Sunday Sept 13th to 16th. show times will be at 10:30 11:30 and 12:30 If you happen to be in the area come by and say hi. we will be at the carousel theater mid way in the park. I was honored to be asked to play with some majorly talented people in this group. Eddie Asher and Jeannie Bryant will cover most of the singing, guitarist Doc Shaffer and Lonnie Harper will play lead guitars, Gayle Richie on keyboard, Robert Holt on fiddle, Lloyd Hicks on drums Dave Wilson on bass plus a saxaphone player. hopefully I can hit a good lick or two with all these great players. there will be dancing as well. I can hardly wait

Jack is one of my favorite players from this area. You will enjoy working at the City, I took Bob Hempker's place a few times when he went out with Loretta Lynn. Tell Eddie Asher and Robert Holt I said hello.

Hey Jack say hi to Gale and Lonnie for me!!! Congrats on the gig. I know you will do us proud.

Jack, man I wish I could be there These guys are all old friends of mine. I haven't seen Lonnie in over 30 years,but we keep in touch through e-mail and phone. I haven't seen Doc Shaffer in 20 years, find out where he normally plays for me and I'll look him up. That's a great line-up of musicians and singers any one of them would be worth the price. I'll be up in your neck of the woods next Tues. nite the 18th, come see us and bring all them guys with you. Tell them I said HEY and keep in touch. Gary A.

Congrats Jack. I know you will do fine. Wish we could hear you.


Donna

Hey Jack, sounds like a good gig to me. I remember meeting Jeannie back in 1969 when she was singing with her sister & sister-in-law. They went by the Bryant sisters and used to go to hootenannies when I lived in Neosho. I met Lonnie in 1972, I was playing in Fayetteville, Ar. 6 nights a week with Don Tummons & George Elliott. Lonnie came down from Kansas City and sat in with us. Ahhh, the good old days. Gonna miss you at our show this year but we'll keep your spot open for next year. Have a good time! Ray

Sounds fun, Jack. Please tell Lonnie Harper hello for me. We did a western swing album together earlier this year. What a great guy!

JC

Hey Jack. i was just in Silver Dollar City this last weekend playing with a Gospel group. That place is huge. I did get a chance to ride the Roller Coaster. Did six shows there. Hop you have fun. Blessings, Albert

Ray, Do you remember the Sunday jams we used to have at the old Pier 65 lounge in Branson back in 75? Lonnie was the guitar player with me then.Jeanie Bryant would come with Speedy Haworth,All of those other pickers were there at one time or another,except for Jack Musgrave, He was just a little boy back then.It sure would be nice to recreate the times we had back then, there was no planning everything just happened. Gary A.

Gary, I remember them well. You sounded good on that black tele custom with the bigsby tailpiece on it. Don Tummons, Denny Jones & myself came there several times on Sunday nite as that was the only night that we had off. We had the world by the tail back then!

Rick, when are we gonna get to see you and Debbie again? Miss you guys. Ray

Hey Ray,

Debbie and I make one more trip to California next month to help settle family matters and sift thru mountains of junk after her father's death last month. I hope to start coming to meetings again in Nov or Dec (whenever the first one is). I sure miss hearing everyone play. I don't think there is anything more interesting than watching a room full of steelers each giving their interpretations of a song. Talk about learning new ideas !!!

Meanwhile back at the "Barn"...

I have not seen these guys like most of you have and I just think the particular matching of this group really works. It's only been one day and I am already getting itchy to get in the car and head on down to Silver Dollar City and park my butt in "The Barn" again. I think Jack must have some Mike Mcgee influence because once in a while I hear that Mcgee phrasing. (Classy Man)!!

[quote=" I think Jack must have some Mike Mcgee influence because once in a while I hear that Mcgee phrasing. (Classy Man)!![/quote]
Rick, when I first started playing pedal steel, I had 2 teachers one was Byron Arnold " Arnie " the other was Mike Mcgee. I learned a lot from both and hopefully I hit a lick now and then from things I was taught. someday maybe I can study under Mike again someday to take my playing to a higher level. I can tell you that back in those days Mike was a HUGE Emmons fan, while Arnie was more of a LLoyd Green fan, so I got the best of both kind of teachers. I consider it a great compliment when someone says I kind of sound like either of these two great players

Ray, here is my .02 cents. I think Jack and Rick are two of the best players in this area. Both these guys need to be playing on all the area steel guitar shows. I just wish I could play as good as these guys. Ray, you need to hear the CD Rick played on for Fred Lacy. Great playing and great tone from Rick. Ray, speaking of the good old days: I doubt if any of us would today use as much "Tuning Fluid" as we did back in those days. The older one gets the less Tuning Fluid he is able to handle. I personally won't touch any Tuning Fluid, and havn't in about 6 years.

Keith, the problem I had with the tuning fluid was it always kept me tuned "flat" As far as Rick & Jack, they both have tone to the bone. That Cadillac Kline Rick plays in one of the best sounding steels I've ever heard. I keep hanging out with these guys hoping some of it will rub off onto me but so far, All I'm getting is dandruff!haha
Jack, glad you brought up "Arnie"! The first time I met Arnie was at the Amvets club in Fayetteville after I left there in 1975. We called him "Captain Kangaroo" as he had the real curly hair and walrus mustache. A nicer, kinder man you'll never find. I wish I had some tapes of Arnie playing and I appreciate you bringing his name up as his memory needs to live on!

Keith and Ray,

Now you've done it .... I don't know about Jack but my head is going to pop !!! Not really, but I did show your posts to Debbie and she said she would advance my monthly allowance so I can enter the Laney Hicks "Operation Rustless" contest if you guys think I had a chance.

Seriously, I miss the fellowship of the club and especially seeing Bennie's smiling face. That's worth the trip to Baxter Springs alone.

I believe everyone has a tone they strive for. Mine is right between the tones of Lee Ogle and Eddie Lane. It's right in the middle or a combination of both that I try for. They have the tone I love.